CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18939, 10 February 1925, Page 12

CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

FWEMAN'S JAW BROKEN. WEEK-END SEASIDE PARTY. CONVICTION FOR ASSAULT. An imbroglio between members of a seaside party who spent the day in a hotisD at Buckland's Beach, on Sunday, October 5, was the subject of a trial in the; Supreme Court yesterday before Mr. •Justice Reed. A young man, Ernest John Branting (Mr. Sullivan) was charged with having assaulted Albert Welsh, and caused him. actual bodily harm; and alternatively, with common assdult. The circumstances of the case, as outlined by Mr. Paterson, for tho Crown, wore that Welsh, a fireman on one of the Northern Company's steamers, was met in the city ori October 3 by a woman named Eileen Brookes, who invited him s to spend tho Sunday at Buckland's v Beach, where she and Brasting, in the I relation of husband and wife, were then living with some others. He acted.upon the- invitation and took with him- two bottles of whisky. Incidents of the Sunday included sundry libations of tho whisky, and a dip in the gulf by the whole party. In the afternoon Welsh was in conversation with the woman Brookes in her room, when Brasting came in «md struck him in the face with clenched list, rendering him unconscious, doubly fracturing his jaw, and blacking both his eyes. The injuries were, such that Welsh had to spend about a" month in the hospital. Welsh, in cross-examination, said he went to Buckland's Beach with the impression that he had been invited to a picnic. It was not true that he tried to allure Brookes away from accused, or boasted that he would be able to do so. ■ .. v., : . Detective Robertson produced, a statement made by accused, in which he alleged that Welsh had sundry "spots' 5 from his whisky bottle over and above the carousals of the rest of _ the party ; that he finally threatened to kick accused and! that it was in warding off the threatened attack that the .blows were struck. Further, accused said he struck two blows with the idea of knocking Welsh out as the only way of preventing the attack. For the defence, Eileen Brasting, nee Brookes —she was married to the accused a few days after the disturbance—swore that Welsh kissed her in the house, whereupon her husband protested. Later on ho attempted to hit Brasting on the nose, and just afterwards aimed a kick at him. It was then that the blows were struck. The jury deliberated for only half an hour, arid then reported that they found the prisoner guilty of common assault. Prisoner was remanded for sentence until later in! the week. • SERIOUS CHARGES PREFERRED. VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY. William Curtis (Mr. A, L. Denniston) was charged, before Mr. Justice Reed, with having on two occasions in tho course of last year committed indecent assaults upon a boy. The jury found the accused not guilty and'he was accordingly discharged. DEFENCE WITHDRAWN. NO RECOLLECTION OF INCIDENT. A young - man; James Knight (Mr. Singer), charged before Mr. Justice Herdman, pleaded not guilty to indecent assault on a girl aged six. After certain evidence "E&3" been taken. Mr. Singer consulted with accused. Counsel then told the Judge that prisoner would plead guilty and thus would save the child and her mother the unpleasantness of giving evidence. Prisoner- had nq. recollection of the incident a 6 Jie was heavily in drink at the time. His Honor said counsel had acted. very properly in the matter. Sentence .Would be delivered on Monday.